Best cards for travel
Ranked by the reward rate each bank publishes for airlines, hotels and travel bookings. Ties go to the lower annual fee. Check the small print on each card page: caps and minimum spends can change the real return.
Cashback
First Abu Dhabi Bank · AED 1,57512%2World Mastercard
RAKBANK · AED 997.510%3Traveller Credit Card
ADCB · AED 1,57510%4Elevate Credit Card
RAKBANK · No fee3.2%5Consumer Cashback
Dubai Islamic Bank · AED 2493%6365 Cashback
ADCB · AED 383.253%7FAB Z Card
First Abu Dhabi Bank · AED 1052%8Liv Cashback+
Liv · AED 7352%9CBD Titanium Mastercard
Commercial Bank of Dubai · No fee1.5%10Talabat ADCB Credit Card
ADCB · No fee1.25%
Points
Emirates NBD · AED 1,5756%2SHAMS Platinum
Dubai Islamic Bank · AED 52510 pts (≈5%)3SHAMS Signature
Dubai Islamic Bank · AED 1,05010 pts (≈5%)4SHAMS Infinite
Dubai Islamic Bank · AED 2,00010 pts (≈5%)5Voyager World
Emirates NBD · No fee3%6SHARE Visa Private
Emirates NBD · AED 1,5752%7Visa Infinite Credit Card
Emirates NBD · AED 1,5752%8Prime Infinite Card
Dubai Islamic Bank · No fee3 pts (≈1.5%)9Shukran ADCB Credit Card
ADCB · AED 262.51.5%10Mastercard Platinum
Emirates NBD · AED 3001.5%
Miles
First Abu Dhabi Bank · AED 2,6257 miles2Skywards Black
Emirates Islamic · AED 9994 miles3Emarati Card
Emirates Islamic · No fee3.75 miles4Al Hilal Etihad Guest Signature
Al Hilal Bank · AED 7873 miles5Skywards Infinite
Emirates Islamic · AED 9993 miles6Emirates Skywards Infinite
HSBC UAE · AED 2,6252.75 miles7Skywards Signature
Emirates Islamic · AED 2992 miles8Emirates Skywards Signature
HSBC UAE · AED 1,0501.75 miles9ADIB Etihad Guest Infinite
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank · AED 3,0000.88 miles10Etihad Guest Elevate
Emirates NBD · AED 1,5750.75 miles
Cashback is a percentage of spend. Points and miles are shown the way each bank states them: as % back, or as points or miles per AED 1, with an approximate % value (≈) where the bank publishes what a point is worth. Miles and hotel points have no fixed cash value, so they are never converted. Cashback, points and miles are ranked separately.
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